From claire_trikes_aust@iprimus.com.au Sun Dec 28 17:34:29 2003
Subject:Re: Echo.. co.. co.. co..

> Karl in AZ
Asked,
"> That might be an interesting thread - what do you that gig live do to
> protect your hearing?"

I see in the meantime that others have already answered this threa but
here's my .02 worth anyway...

I never leave home without my set of "musician's ear plugs".

They are made by a professional audiologist (hearing aid expert) to a
casting made of the shape of your ear canal. They are about the same shape
and size as a modern in-ear hearing aid but all they do is attenuate sound
pressure level. The KEY thing is that they have a flat frequency response.
This is really what makes them different to all other industrial type
hearing protection. The flat frequency response means that the bass is
attenuated exactly the same amount as the cymbals. It total sound balance
the same, except a whole lot quiter and your ears aren't damaged. My
audiologist had a choice of 10dB, 15dB and 25dB. The 15dB work well for me
an an 'average' four piece band. They were a bit over AU$200. I don't know
what they'd cost or what the visit to the audiologist would cost in the
states, but compared with what you have no doubt spent on the rest of your
rig, that's not much to spend on the most important part of your rig (your
ears !).

The only qualification I'd make is that the bone conduction (caused by
having *anything* in your ear) changes the perception of your own voice.
This may make them unsuitable for those that sing.... I would value others
comments on this.

Claire
Australia